I recently talked to a high school student about my career choice as a Macomb MI newborn photographer. He asked me what I felt I had succeeded at, what I’d failed at. How I keep myself going. The hardest part of my day. What drove me to push on in the tough times, and how I celebrated the big wins. He was an insightful young man, and it really drove me to dive deep into my life. This is a hard job. But not really for the obvious reasons.
I spent a lot of time explaining to him that it’s a big risk to take on myself. Just because I loved being a photographer, didn’t always mean someone saw the value in my work. And sometimes it’s hard to distinguish the difference in my own head, between my work and myself.
I invest a lot of my free time, and my family time into my work. Into furthering my education so I bring the best version of my work to my clients. I spent evenings, and weekends editing or working. I invests a lot of money into props, gear, technology, software, maintenance, website work, insurance. And sometimes it feels like it pays off. Sometimes it doesn’t. Sometimes when I miss a track meet, or a volleyball game because I made a commitment to a family, it’s hard to remember that I’m not failing my kids. I’m showing them I’m valuing this thing, this business that I built from the ground up, from nothing, with my own blood, sweat and tears.
Being a Macomb MI newborn photographer can be lonely. I don’t have a business partner to bounce ideas off of. To cry to when times are slow, or when they are crazy busy. I am fortunate to have made some amazing friends over the 9 years I’ve been doing this, and they let me lean on them, and cry to them, or go out and celebrate when I have a big win.
But at the end of our conversation I told him, I wouldn’t trade any of that. I am so proud of my business, telling people that I’m a newborn photographer, is just a rewarding moment. They always say it must be so fun to snuggle babies all day. And honestly, I can’t imagine a better job. Even if there is one out there that doesn’t require massive amounts of overtime for no extra pay.
I hope I inspired him to always push himself for what he wants as a photographer. No matter his path, if it’s newborns, families, weddings, or commercial work. Having something I can say I created, is pretty amazing. And I’m so incredibly grateful for the hundreds of clients every year that see my value, and will display my art on their walls for years to come. That is the biggest reward, even if I don’t see it daily.
I am forever blessed, and grateful.
